New technologies

18/10/2016

I find it astounding to consider some of the things that are now possible through technology. It's hard to believe how far the world has come in a relatively short time.

I think the year was 1970 when I received as a birthday gift my first calculator. It could multiply, divide...even calculate square roots. And it had a "floating decimal" It was a bit of a luxury, costing as it did just under $200.

Now a calculator like that comes as a free trinket in a corn flakes box!

It all moves so quickly. Computers are getting smarter and smarter. Will they ever be able to think for themselves? Apparently, the answer to this question is a resounding "yes", and this bothers me a great deal.

Because when I consider the manner in which so many children in this country are force-fed information under the guise of "education", I am compelled to ask a question:

"Does it make any sense at all to develop machines that can think for themselves and people that can't?"

1 Comment

Samir Sagar

18/10/2016 20:41:14

Machines/Computers are going to get smarter whether we want it or not. There is just too much demand for the newest, smartest, latest device.
Technology has been exciting and, at the same time, scaring people since many ages (cannons and guns for people using bows and arrows. Ships.. railways.. and cars for the people who were used to horse carriages. Even bow and arrows would have been a technological development in some old era.. "Hey, when is the iBow7 coming out? I've heard it has much better precision!")
So my point would be; not worry too much about machines that can think for themselves but focus (and worry a lot) on people that can't, so that we can raise children who can..

''for learning to happen there needs to be activitY, engagement, excitement & relevance''
-Neil mcwilliam